


Zeno of the "Little Birds"

by Freewilllife



Series: The beginning of a New Era! [6]
Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Anime, Gen, Manga, Violence against Children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 21:08:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13532580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freewilllife/pseuds/Freewilllife
Summary: A trial for the boy who came back, who had dared to refer to a foreign god....to follow a foreign king...





	Zeno of the "Little Birds"

**Zeno of the "Little Birds"**

"I am the first dragon,

the one who served King Hiryuu

Ouryuu Zeno."

" _What an interesting adventure,wasn t it?"_ Geuntae s irony was visible even for the 8-year-old. Though it was quite clear, that Zeno s action had impressed the man of the North, even though he was mocking him right now.

Zeno felt quite flustered. It was the first time, that he had gotten such a compliment. Most of the time people assumed that he was a kind person, that would surely inherit his grand-ma s position. She had been the priestess of the tribe. Although pretty much all people of the tribe were able to talk to the gods, his grand-mother, **Gaia (1)** , had had a special connection to them.

Her prays were answered more often than the ones of the others. In addition, she could interpret the dreams of her folk.

There had been signs, that Zeno had been received the same gift as his grand-mother.

_A full head of blonde hair, was a good message. Early voices were a gift. But clear visions were a sign._

The day his grand-mother died, Zeno had been gifted with the last ability.

_He was supposed to be a priest, not a warrior._

That was his fate, determined by the will of the gods. His grand-parents had been sure of it.

"The Little Birds" considered themselves to be psychics. All of them. The ones with special abilities stood even higher in that hierarchy. That was the reason "The Laws" were something like predetermined rules to them, even though that was not the case.

While Eun was walking at a slow pace, Zeno, a little more accommodated to the feeling of riding the horse, let his thoughts wander.

The death and cruelties of battles were not foreign to Zeno, even at the age of 8. However, the people of his tribe were no warriors, not quite like the proud "Crows", adapted to this way of life.

Zeno must have lied, if he claimed that the warriors hasn t provoked a certain sensation. His desire for adventures.

Thus, half of him wished to be a warrior. But the other half feared the effects of wars. The desperation that greeted the people, warriors and non-warriors alike, made him doubt this life.

A promise of a New Era, or the destruction of the well-established tribes? Maybe even both. Who knew?

While Zeno was heavenly reflecting upon his fate, they were passing the last remains of the mountains and entered the forest, that surrounded the boy s village.

Fir trees were growing left and right, watching over the little animals existing within and with them.

The fragrance of home…Zeno breathed the air, hold it in his lungs and let it escape through his mouth.

Home at last. It had been a long time. Maybe not for a grown-up person, but for this little boy, it had felt like centuries.

Soon the first signs of his village appeared. The huts resembled each other like two peas in a pod.

Even the home of their chief, **Zelos(2),** could be hardly called a house. The village was a quiet, hidden place deep in the forest, unknown to many of the passing folks and neighbouring tribes

The village has changed. Zeno noticed it, the moment he sat a food on the well-known soil.

There they were, people Zeno has known his whole life; however, many new people showed themselves. The boy was aware who they were. After all, he had visited the other villages of his tribe before, but it was the wrong place.

In the house of **Nesoi (3** ), a next-door neighbour, another woman s face appeared. Zeno didn t know her name anymore, but usually she lived in the village at the next mountain. Why did she live here?

This guy here, sharpening the swords, wasn t that **Hypnos (4)**? That person normally worked in the village, where the "Yellow River" disappeared into the ground.

Also, that man and this woman, and those children?

A little lost Zeno observed the new inhabitants in his village. It seemed that many people had left their villages to follow King Hiryuu, even though Zeno knew that, and expected it, it still hit him hard.

The simple truth, that the village has split apart.

That young man, was Thanatos, another cousin of his. His father and his mother had a couple of siblings. **Thanatos (5)** was the son of his aunt, **Thalassa (6** ).

The youth was about 19 years of age, a strong and stern-looking young man. Zeno was just a simple child to him and the boy was aware that Thanatos hated his "special position", that prevented him from treating Zeno the way he deserved.

He truly was not a friend of Zeno s. When the young man had spotted him, his face lightened up and he took the little boy roughly by the hand, forcing him to go with him.

Geuntae was a little bit shocked, Zeno could see it from the edges of his eyes.

Obviously, the man of the North didn t know that committing a sin, was a grave crime inside of his tribe. Leaving the village behind to follow a foreign god, and above else one, that violated the "Laws" could equate to a death penalty.

Zeno had been aware of it. Nevertheless, he came back and let himself drag by the older male. Refusing this guy right now, just would lead to severe injuries. Zeno wished to give Thanatos less reason to penalize him.

Thanatos couldn t hit him, if he cooperated, as much as he desired it.

The people were following them. Something was happening after all. Something that would let them forget the difficulties of their everyday life, if just for a moment.

One of the people, that had followed the foreign king, has returned home.

Zeno could already guess their thoughts.

Of course, many of them already knew him. The grand-child of Gaia and Kronos. Two very talented psychics, both high priest and high priestess..His grand-mother had been even the voice of the Old Gods in Heaven.

"Tell, Zelos!," screamed Thanatos, "Tell Kronos!", screamed another guy beside him.

The boy was following obediently, the pouch was pressed at his belly.

Zeno could hear the horse behind him. Eun s steps were accompanying them. So, Geuntae has decided to stay a little while longer.

Finally, the crowd arrived at the house of the chief, Zelos. The old man, with the long beard, and many wrinkles in his tanned face, didn t look all too surprised to see them.

Quietly he opened the door, turned around and walked into his hut.

Thanatos was following with Zeno, after them, many of the elders entered the house. The last people were the younger folks and children.

Geuntae, as foreigner, was not permitted. He had to remain outside.

Inside of the hut, his grand-father was already waiting, sitting on the floor. His eyes were closed, he seemed to be meditating. At least Zeno remembered this facial expression signified a high form of concentration.

His uncle and the son of his grand-father **Chronos (10)** , observed the arriving people with a neutral look on his face. He sat on the right of his father.

Usually his grand-mother Gaia would have sat next to his grand-father.

Thalassa, the sister of his father, was sitting on the left, beside his grand-father. She was much older than his father.

Zelos, sat right next to his daughter, Thalassa.

Zeno looked at the other faces. Relatives or neighbours of his, even the few people he might have considered his friends were watching this event, with a sort of anticipation in their hearts, that Zeno felt more than a little sick.

When his grand-father opened his eyes, the crowd fell immediately quiet. Right now. He was the psychic, the high priest of the "Little Birds", not his grand-father, strict, but a caring parent.

Thanatos forced Zeno s head down; he pressed so hard on the body of the little boy, that Zeno had been nearly fallen on his face. Just barely with his arms had he been able to prevent that.

" _Do you know, what grave sin you committed_?" His grand-father was talking to him.

His voice was cool, collected. With his face nearly touching the floor, Zeno was not able to see his grand-father. But his voice alone suggested, that Zeno would be severely punished.

The boy had to bite heavily on his tongue not to start crying. His tears would only make it worse.

" _I…_ " Zeno had to inhale and exhale, before he could be sure that he would stay calm _," I was following the god of the sun."_

" _Do you worship the god of the sun?"_

The words, flowing out of the mouth of his grand-father were as sharp as a knife.

Zeno had to choose his next steps carefully. He didn t want to lie to his grand-father or before the gods, but if he told the whole truth, then…

" _I don t believe in the way of the god of the sun,"_ was the answer, Zeno could tell that without having to expect that they would cut open his throat in the next second. It was not a lie, just not the whole truth.

He could hear them shifting, the ensuing gossip. Was it the right answer?

The silence in the room, made him nervous. Why didn t his grand-father say anything? Why was he so quiet?

" _Do you follow King Hiryuu?"_

Zeno would have nearly screamed. That was exactly the question, he had feared.

King Hiryuu and the god of the sun were two different beings. At least from the short memory, if that little dream had been a fragment of the past of the Red Dragon.

Biting on his lip, he was glad, that nobody could see his face or the expression he was currently making.

What should he do? The longer he waited, the less likely would they believe him. Quick! He had to think!

If he said no. He would stay alive, but they would never let him out. It would be like a promise to become a priest and never see the King again.

Of course, he could pretend and break his promise, but they surely would follow him this time. You could leave the village once and never come again. The next time, they would chase after him and kill him for sure.

_But if you have given your word, then you must never break it._

So, it was either say yes and die now, or say no and die later. A pretty simple choice.

" _I do.I wish to follow King Hiryuu",_ Zeno added the last part, just to be sure, that they did understand him correctly.

The volume was raising inside of the little hut. The people now were openly talking about that matter.

" _Can you believe it?"_

" _What did he say? Is he serious? Why did he come back?_

" _Silence!_ ", his grand-father commanded. His voice had been as cold as ice.

The murmur stopped abruptly.

Zeno knew what they would do to him. What penalty he could expect…

" _Are you sure, that you wish to continue?"_

Was there something in his grand-father s tone? The way he expressed it, one may believe, that he gave Zeno one last chance to back out.

" _Zeno, son of Thal and …son of_ _ **Rhea (8)**_ _. Why did you come back? You knew, what effect your return would provoke?_

The boy could hear the voice of his grand-father nearly breaking, trembling while he uttered the name of his beloved daughter. Rhea. The favourite daughter of his grand-father, who had quite many children. 8 were born and 3 died during infancy. Of all those children, Rhea had the kindest heart…and had been the most gifted in the family. At least that was, what his grand-parents had told him.

And Zeno. Zeno was a spiting image of his mother. Just the wild hair originated from his father s side. But his face, and above else his blue eyes, even the exact shade, had been derived by his mother.

His grand-father had fallen silent. Obviously without the content of the chief, since that person was now interfering.

" _Zeno, son of Thal. You know what penalty awaits you? I have to ask you this."_

The old man was completely calm. Nothing would even hint at the fact, that this person, was his other grand-father.

Zeno knew his other grand-parents well enough, still, a part of him, might have hoped for a different outcome.

It was strange. But until now. Zeno was just as calm. His face was still pressed at the floor and he could feel the coldness of the earth, smelled the typical odour.

Tears were soaked by the earth. Zeno was not able to stop them. Liquid was streaming out of his eyes.

If he answered now, everybody would see that he was crying. More and more tears were wetting the ground.

" _I know."_

Without a further word, Zeno could feel, like his body was lifted. **Pontos (9** ), another cousin of Zeno, was carrying him.

He was a cousin of his mother s side. Thanatos wasn t exactly happy about it, but Pontos was older and an experienced warrior.

Despite his kind spirit, he was a death god to his enemies. Nobody in his right mind would challenge him.

Protectively he was holding Zeno to his belly, just like Zeno had been protecting the pouch. Together they left the hut, the other people were chasing them, observing them.

Geuntae seemed to be struck by lightning. Zeno would have nearly laughed, if it had been not too sad.

The man of the North hadn t believed him. That was the way, "the Little Birds" were handling a sin like this.

Like frozen, he was standing there and starring at Zeno, the 8-year-old boy, that was brought to the last decision.

Pontos kept on carrying Zeno s little body and both removed themselves from the man, that was born and has lived under cruel warriors, but was shocked due to the fact, that the "Little Birds" would even sacrifice a child.

**Author's Note:**

> Author s note:
> 
> (1)Gaia: the name is based on the Greek god Gaia: Personification of the Earth (Mother Earth); mother of the Titans.
> 
> (2) Zelos: the name is based on the Greek god of eagerness.
> 
> Zeno: I think pretty much everybody knows that it is a Greek name?
> 
> "From the Greek name Ζηνων (Zenon), which was derived from the name of the Greek god ZEUS. Zeno was the name of two famous Greek philosophers: Zeno of Elea and Zeno of Citium, the founder of the Stoic school in Athens." ( name/zeno)
> 
> In my story Zeno s ancestors travelled the sea, to find new land. Now they have inhabited this part for centuries.
> 
> (3) Nesoi: based on the name of the goddesses of the sea and Islands.
> 
> (4) Hypnos: based on the name of the personification of sleep.
> 
> (5) Thanatos: based on the name of the God of Death. Brother to Hypnos (Sleep) and in some cases Moros (Doom)
> 
> (6) Thalassa: based on the name of the personification of the sea and consort of Pontus.
> 
> (7): Kronos: based on the Titan. Father of Zeus.
> 
> (8) Rhea: based on the name of the Titaness, who was the mother of Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia.
> 
> (9) Pontos: primeval god of the sea, father of the fish and other sea creatures.
> 
> (10) Chronos: the name is based on Chronos (/ˈkroʊnɒs/; Greek: Χρόνος, "time", pronounced [kʰrónos], also transliterated as Khronos or Latinised as Chronus) is the personification of Time in pre-Socratic philosophy and later literature.


End file.
